Vilstrupnikolajsen9045
BACKGROUND Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) are the largest leukocyte population in the blood of most mammals including horses, and play an important defensive role in many infectious diseases. However, the mechanisms that increase PMN as one of the main cellular subsets in the defense against pathogens could also be involved in the pathophysiology of dysregulated inflammatory conditions. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are a heterogeneous population with a modulatory potential on the inflammatory response and are known to interact with nearly all cells of the immune system, including PMN. In this study, the in vitro modulation of equine bone marrow-derived MSCs on equine PMN phagocytosis, ROS production, and NETs generation was assessed. RESULTS In co-culture with MSCs, unstimulated PMN produce less ROS (2.88 % ± 1.43) than PMN in single culture (5.89 % ± 2.63) (p = 0.016). Moreover, PMN co-cultured with MSCs remain conditioned to produce fewer ROS after PMA stimulation in comparison to PMN in single culture (p less then 0.05). Additionally, it was found that incubation with MSC supernatant strongly inhibited ROS production (83 % ± 6.35 less than control) without affecting phagocytosis or capacity for NETosis (p less then 0.01). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a modulatory effect of equine BM-derived MSCs on PMN respiratory burst, without impairing other important microbicidal functions. This supports the potential use of equine MSCs in excessive or persistent inflammatory conditions in which neutrophils are the main effector cells. V.AIMS The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between impulsivity-related personality traits based on the UPPS-P model and e-cigarette use. The study used a sample of mainly European adults and compared e-cigarette users with non-smokers, cigarette smokers and dual users (those who currently smoke cigarettes and use e-cigarettes). Additionally, the relationship between impulsivity-related traits and frequency and intensity of e-cigarette use was examined, while the main reasons for e-cigarette use were also assessed. METHODS Participants were 720 adults (234 non-smokers, 164 smokers, 150 e-cigarette users, 172 dual users), who completed online questionnaires regarding sociodemographics, smoking/e-cigarette use behaviour, and impulsivity (UPPS-P scale). RESULTS Impulsivity-related traits did not significantly differentiate e-cigarette users from non-smokers. E-cigarette users showed lower levels of lack of perseverance than cigarette smokers, and they exhibited lower levels of negative and positive urgency than dual users. Negative urgency also significantly differentiated smokers and non-smokers, with smokers having higher levels of the trait. No significant results were found examining the relationship between the impulsivity-related traits and e-cigarette behaviour (number of days vaping per month, number of times vaping per day, and millilitres of e-liquid used per day). The main reason given for e-cigarette use was the perception that it is less harmful than cigarettes. CONCLUSION The present study found that trait impulsivity differentiated e-cigarette users from cigarette smokers and dual users, but did not differentiate e-cigarette users from non-smokers. Such findings are important to not only help us identify factors associated with e-cigarette use, but also to potentially inform treatment plans and decisions. INTRODUCTION Firefighters are vulnerable to developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a cognitive-affective mechanism with clinical relevance to both PTSD and AUD. The current study examined the potential role of AS in the association of PTSD symptomatology with alcohol use severity and alcohol use motives among a large sample of firefighters. Heightened PTSD and high AS were expected to be associated with alcohol use severity and coping-oriented alcohol use motives. Heightened PTSD symptomatology was expected to be indirectly associated with alcohol use severity and coping motives through high AS. Covariates included number of years in the fire service and the number of traumatic event types endorsed. METHODS Participants included 652 urban firefighters (93.3% male; Mage = 38.7, SD = 8.57). Firefighters completed an online questionnaire battery. RESULTS PTSD symptomatology was positively associated with alcohol use and coping motives. AS was positively associated with alcohol use coping motives but not alcohol use severity. AS partially explained the association between PTSD symptomatology and coping, conformity, and social motives, but did not significantly account for the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and enhancement motives or alcohol use severity. CONCLUSIONS Among firefighters, the association between PTSD and alcohol use coping, conformity, and social motives is partially accounted for by AS. Clinical and research implications are discussed. Black and White adolescents demonstrate different prototypical profiles (i.e., typologies) of substance use, with Blacks demonstrating lower risk for concurrent use of two or more substances. Despite knowledge of these differences, typologies of adolescent substance use identified by person-centered methods, such as latent class analysis, have not characterized profiles by racial group. The current study examined typologies of substance use among Black and White youth separately using person-centered methods to identify common patterns of substance use among subjects. Data were drawn from a 5-year parent study examining adolescent health outcomes. The current study examined high-school aged White (n = 7271, 45.4% male) and Black youth (n = 1301, 40.1% male) who reported past-30-day frequency of cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, inhalant, and other drug use. Latent class analysis was used to examine substance use typologies among each group adjusting for grade and sex. Black and White youth demonstrated different typologies such that four typologies emerged among Blacks Non-Use (87.8%), Alcohol and Marijuana Use (6.3%), Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cigarette Use (3.8%), and Frequent Polysubstance Use (2.0%). Conversely, five typologies emerged among Whites Non-Use (73.4%), Predominant Alcohol Use (13.9%), Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cigarette Use (9.4%), Moderate Polysubstance Use (1.6%), and Frequent Polysubstance Use (1.7%). Findings suggest that Black and White youth engage in similar rates of concurrent substance use. Given that Black youth face greater risk for adverse consequences from substance use, prevention efforts are needed to prevent related health disparities related to concurrent substance use. BACKGROUND While recent decades have witnessed an increase in the use of illicit drugs in Australia, the extent to which the types of drugs used has changed over a generation of young women has not been documented. METHODS Data are from a prospective birth cohort study. Mothers were recruited in early pregnancy (1981-83) and then they and their child were followed up, with mothers interviewed 27 years (2008-2011), and daughters 30 years (2010-14), after the birth. At these most recent interviews both mothers and daughters were administered the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI III). Comparisons are for mothers and daughters separated by a 25 year period. For this study, we compare levels of lifetime use of a range of illicit drugs and drug use disorders reported by mothers and their daughters (N = 998 mother/daughter pairs) with adjustment for family income, marital status, education and occupation. RESULTS There has been a generational increase in the use of illicit substances and prevalenceto be calibrated to the reality of the much greater contact with illicit drugs being exhibited by younger women. OBJECTIVES The current study explored whether social support (SS) from family and peers, influences the relationship between depressed mood (DM) and substance use (SU). We hypothesized that SS would have a protective effect on DM, and moderate the association between DM and SU. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS Analyses focused on 703 individuals from the Carolina African American Twin Study on Aging (mean age = 49.78 years, STD = 14.52; 51% female). Participants reported on past year frequency of cigarettes and alcohol consumption, depressed mood, and stressful life events. NMU chemical Social support (SS) was assessed on two domains (i.e., emotional and instrumental), as well as for perceived quality and quantity of each type. Hypotheses were tested using ordinal logistic regression in Mplus while controlling for socioeconomic status, age, and gender. RESULTS Quality of emotional support was negatively associated with drinking. Smoking, but not drinking was associated with depressed mood. While individuals with high levels of depressed mood received more support, receiving better quality emotional support was associated with fewer mood and stress symptoms. Individuals who reported receiving better quality emotional support typically smoked fewer cigarettes. CONCLUSION Quantity of emotional support was associated with higher levels of negative emotionality, whereas the opposite was found for quality of emotional support. link2 Emotional support may indirectly influence smoking via depressed mood. Effecting the perceived quality of support appears to be the mechanism by which emotional support helps to reduce smoking in adult African Americans. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE While favourable long-term outcomes have been reported in organ-confined prostate cancer treated with 5 × 7-8 Gy extreme hypofractionation, dose escalation to 5 × 9-10 Gy improved local control but was associated with unacceptable rates of late rectal and urinary toxicities. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of intra-fractional prostate immobilization in reducing toxicity, to promote dose escalation with extreme hypofractionated radiotherapy in prostate cancer. link3 MATERIAL AND METHODS 207 patients received 5 consecutive fractions of 9 Gy. An air-inflated (150 cm3) endorectal balloon and an intraurethral Foley catheter with 3 beacon transponders were used to immobilize the prostate and monitor intra-fractional target motion. VMAT-IGRT with inverse dose-painting was employed in delivering the PTV dose and in sculpting exposure of normal organs at risk to fulfil dose-volume constraints. RESULTS Introduction of air-filled balloon induced repeatable rectum/prostate complex migration from its resting position to a specific retropubic niche, affording the same 3D anatomical configuration daily. Intra-fractional target deviations ≤1 mm occurred in 95% of sessions, while target realignment in ≥2 mm deviations enabled treatment completion as scheduled. Nadir PSA at median 54 months follow-up was 0.19 ng/mL, and bRFS was 100%, 92.4% and 71.4% in low-, intermediate- and high-risk categories, respectively. Late Grade 2 GU and GI toxicities were 2.9% and 2.4%, respectively. No adverse changes in patient-reported quality of life scores were observed. CONCLUSION The unique spatial configuration of this prostate motion mitigation protocol enabled precise treatment planning and delivery that optimized outcomes of ultra-high 5 × 9 Gy hypofractionated radiotherapy of organ-confined prostate cancer.